THE
HARTFORD COURANT
IMPASSE REMAINS
OVER VIEQUES - ROSSELLO WANTS NAVY OUT
by Michael Remez
November 2, 1999
Copyright © 1999 The Hartford Courant
All Rights Reserved.
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DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT NEWS BRIEFING
KENNETH H. BACON, DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
NO DECISION YET
FROM COHEN ON VIEQUES REPORT
Political Transcripts by
Federal Document Clearing House
November 2, 1999
Copyright © 1999 Federal Document Clearing House,
Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
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As representatives of Puerto Rico and the Pentagon sat down
Monday to talk about the future of Vieques island, Gov. Pedro
Rossello told reporters his position has not changed: He opposes
any resumption of Navy training on the island that includes bombing
its beaches.
The Pentagon meeting produced no concrete results, though
Angel Morey, the governor's aide, said both sides laid out their
positions in the session.
Morey predicted Cohen would make his recommendation to President
Clinton within the next two weeks. As commandeer- in- chief,
Clinton will make the final decision.
Rossello, meeting with a group of reporters, said Puerto Ricans
are united in the fight to stop the kind of bombing runs that
lead led to the accidental death of a Puerto Rican security guard
in April.
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QUESTION: Can you give us a further readout on the meeting
yesterday concerning Vieques , specifically when Secretary Cohen
expects to make a recommendation for the president? And in light
of the declaration again yesterday by Puerto Rico , that it's
non-negotiable -- that the range will not be used again for bombing
or shelling -- what is there to talk about?
BACON: Well, first of all, I don't think Secretary Cohen has
made up his mind yet on when he plans to send the report to the
president. I don't know what the next step will be. You're absolutely
right that the Puerto Ricans have been unyielding in their insistence
that there be no more use of the range at Vieques .
There's more to the report than just that. There are other
elements that deal with economic obligations of the Navy, et
cetera. The secretary will -- I don't believe has had a chance
to talk with Undersecretary de Leon yet, or with his chief of
staff Bob Tyrer (ph), who was also at the meeting.
BACON: He'll talk with them and decide what the appropriate
next step is. I assume that Secretary DeLeon will make a recommendation
to the secretary about what to do next. But we'll have to wait
until he does that.
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary William Cohen said today
he wants to talk directly to Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Rossello
to resolve a standoff over Navy use of a bombing range on the
Puerto Rican island of Vieques.
"We need to have a dialogue on this," Cohen told
reporters at the Pentagon.
In an apparent signal of conciliation, Cohen told reporters
the Navy was at least partly at fault for the crisis. "The
Navy has not really done a very good job in their relations with
the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico. We hope to do better in
that regard."
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